1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a powered turf cutting implement useful as a lawn edger and having an elongated support with a power unit mounted at one end of the support and a vertically disposed rotating cutter blade mounted at the opposite end of the support.
2. Background Art
In the art of lawn edging and vertical turf cutting implements there has been a growing need for a lightweight and easily maneuvered power operated apparatus which is adaptable for doing routine edging work around sidewalks, patios and other surfaces contiguous with a lawn. Prior art lawn edgers are typically characterized by a cutter head mounted on a multi-wheeled undercarriage in either a tricycle configuration or dual wheels for supporting a motor or small internal combustion engine which is connected to a vertically disposed rotary cutter blade. The apparatus is usually provided with a handle in the form of elongated tubular members having handlebars at the upper distal end thereof for guiding the apparatus during cutting operations. Most known types of lawn edgers are not particularly maneuverable and are difficult to operate when edging along a curb or other narrow supporting surface.
Another deficiency of known types of powered lawn edgers concerns their inability to be easily guided in a straight line or along any surface to be edged due, in part, to the fact that all of the weight is concentrated on the support wheels and due also to multiwheeled undercarriages. If the unit tends to stray from the intended cutting path the operator quite often has to stop the unit to maneuver it or lift it back into the proper directional attitude. Wheel mounted edgers previously known are also dificult to maneuver along narrow supporting surfaces such as, for example, a narrow curbing when it is desired to edge the lawn adjacent to the curb. Moreover, known types of lawn edging and turf cutting equipment which is primarily wheel or roller supported is not adaptable for lifting onto elevated surfaces such as terraces or when trying to edge a lawn alongside steps or the like.
Another type of lawn edging apparatus which has been recently developed involves the provision of a removable support wheel or undercarriage for attachment to flexible line trimmers and the like. The conversion of flexible line trimmers to edgers has not been particularly satisfactory due to the fact that the relationship of the support handle with respect to the trimmer head is not properly oriented for guiding or use of the trimmer as an edger. Moreover, flexible line trimmers do not have the cutting capability of a rigid turf cutting type blade.
Accordingly, there has been a need for a lightweight and highly maneuverable lawn edging apparatus which is easily handled in all use situations and is adapted to track or follow the contour of a sidewalk or curb without repeatedly having to stop the unit and reorient the cutter head.